Bike Shoes

The Five Ten Hellcat Pro is a burly, downhill-oriented clipless shoe that’s designed to offer lots of protection and comfort while maintaining pedaling efficiency. And for that use, it’s one of the best options we’ve tried.

When it comes to bike shoes, there are plenty of burly skate-style shoes that sacrifice pedaling performance, and a lot of pedal-oriented shoes that look out of place anywhere except on the bike. In between those two categories sits the Pearl Izumi X-Alp Launch SPD, and it’s definitely worth a look for riders looking for some of the best of both worlds.

The X-Project P.R.O. is Pearl Izumi’s new premium mountain bike shoe, said to be “perfect for all mountain bikers and cyclocross riders.” We weigh in on whether — and where — the P.R.O. actually excels.